Sign Permit (for administrative approval)

A sign permit must be obtained for any new sign to be installed within the City of Lee's Summit. Most sign permits can be issued administratively by the Planning and Development Department. Sign regulations can be found in Article 13 of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

Sign Application (for Planning Commission approval)

A Sign Application can be submitted for one or more signs that do not comply with UDO Article 13 for administrative approval, but are specified in Table 13-2 as signs that are allowed "as approved by the Commission." Applicants must submit a "Sign Application" for processing through the Planning Commission. If approved, then a Sign Permit form must be filled out for the administrative approval.

Exempt Signs

The following signs are exempt from all restrictions and regulations of the UDO, except that no private signs are permitted on public property:

A. Interior window signs and interior window displays.

B. Brand names or logos on products, product containers, or dispensers that are an integral part of the product or the product’s packaging.

C. A building design, color, or motif that is associated with a particular establishment or organization, but that conveys no commercial message.

D. Official signs: Signs placed by a governmental body, governmental agency, or public authority, such as traffic signs, signals, or regulatory devices or warnings; official emblems, public notices, or official instruments; signs of historical interest; signs designating areas of architectural or historic significance or gateways; or other similar signs or devices. Such signs are authorized within all rights-of-way or other properties controlled by such governmental body, agency, or authority.

E. Property address sign: A sign limited in content to the street name and address number of the building or property to which it is affixed, provided that the sign consists of lettering no larger than five (5) inches in height on a building or three (3) inches on a mailbox.

F. Holiday decorations: Displays erected on a seasonal basis in observance of religious, national, or state holidays, which are not intended to be permanent in nature and that contain no advertising material.

G. Legal posting: A sign intended to convey a legal right or restriction on a property, such as a “no trespassing” or “no hunting” sign; a sign intended to warn the public of a bona fide danger on the property, such as a “beware of the dog” sign; or a sign placed by order of a court or by a government official in the normal course of their duties, such as posting of a legal notice or a “building condemned” sign.